Sugpiaq women sew first bear gut parka in over a century

A group of Sugpiaq women have reintroduced the tradition of crafting bear intestines into a ceremonial parka with rejuvenated vigor. The translucent, waterproof jacket is the first of its kind in Alaska’s Prince William Sound in over 100 years.

“It’s an honor to have had the opportunity to learn a lost art, a lost skill, and then bring one back to the region that doesn’t sit in a museum,” one of the parka’s creators said in a recent CBC Canada interview.

The women hope the project will encourage others to create bear gut parkas of their own in the future.

– Connor Farrar, The Alaska 100